Natsu Dragneel and the Unapproved S-Class Mission
by Ninjasrawr
Summary: It's been 30 years since Harry Potter attended Hogwarts. Lucy Heartfilia is now a young first year wizard. On her journey through her seven years of wizardry school she meets many new friends, fights many enemies, and saves the world with Natsu Dragneel; the Chosen One to defeat Zeref and the evil dragon Acnologia and to rescue the world from a dark future. Book 1 of 7.
1. Chapter 1 (Lucy)--Hogwarts Express

Chapter One

**LUCY**

Lucy Heartfilia ran her fingers through her blonde hair as she walked through King's Cross Station. Her father, who walked next to her, his stride about three times the size of hers, was silent and wore a scowl. Shouldn't he be happy? Lucy would be out of his life for nearly nine months and all he could do was frown. It wasn't like he paid her any attention anyway. When she was at home, she pretty much just sat in her room all the time. He would hardly notice she was gone.

Lucy glanced up at a clock as they passed it. Nearly eleven. Her stomach was full of butterflies as she walked past platform 8. She pushed her cart harder and faster. Her first year at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft was going to start in just a few hours and she couldn't wait. She wondered who she'd meet and what classes she'd take and how nice her teachers would be.

"Here we are," Jude Heartfilia said, sounding about as excited as a piece of wood. He stopped in front of the barrier in between platforms nine and ten.

Lucy stopped her cart suddenly and nearly caused her owl to fall off the top of her trunk.

"Are you coming with me?" Lucy asked nervously, and avoided eye contact.

Jude sighed, and she could swear that he rolled his eyes. "I suppose if you want me to."

Honestly, Lucy would rather him not come, but she wanted his help so she would know what to do and where to go.

"Thank you," Lucy said quietly and watched as her father briskly walked into the barrier. She took in a breath and walked forward. She closed her eyes as she approached it, and, when her eyes fluttered open, she was somewhere else.

She gaped at the scarlet steam engine. That was her key to getting to Hogwarts! She smiled for the first time in months, actual joy filling her up to the brim. So many adventures awaited her at the train's destination.

"Well, come on. Don't block the path," Jude snapped. He gestured towards the train impatiently. Lucy quickly pushed her cart towards her father and they began to walk down the platform in search of a seat for Lucy. Lucy looked around the platform and saw, hanging from the barrier she'd just come through, a large sign that read in large, black letters: PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS.

She followed her father, whose gaze was on the train. They passed by two women conversing and Lucy's ears perked when she heard their conversation.

"Look there. Is that Jude Heartfilia?"

"By God, it _is_. Who's that little lady with him?"

"That'd be his only child, Lu—Luna? No, no, Lucy. Goodness, she looks just like her mother."

Lucy looked down and walked faster. Being the only child of Jude Heartfilia was stressful sometimes. Her father was one of the most famous individuals in the Ministry of Magic. He was the highly praised head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. He was always in London, away from their large pureblood mansion, and Lucy often would roam the halls or sit, lonely, in her room, waiting for his return. Her mother, when she was alive, was never home either because she had been an Auror; a job Lucy aspired to have.

"There," Jude said, jabbing one of his thick index fingers at an empty seat near the back of the train. "I'll help you get your trunk on."

They boarded the train, lugging Lucy's heavy trunk and placing it under the large two person seat. Lucy put her hands in her jacket pockets and turned and eyed her father.

"Goodbye Lucy. Be careful and promise me you won't do anything dangerous, Jude said, looking at her with stern eyes.

Lucy smiled faintly and not sincerely. "I promise." She knew the only reason her father was telling her this was because if she did anything out of place, it would "ruin their name and his reputation."

With that Jude walked off the train and down the platform. Lucy pressed her face on the glass and watched her dad exit the barrier. She sighed, blowing a piece of her blonde hair our of her eyes and sitting down on the crimson seat and crossed her ankles.

She looked at her owl. "Well Plue, ready for an adventure?"

Her white owl hooted and Lucy smiled. She hadn't purchased the owl at Diagon Alley like other students had. No, her owl belonged to her mother, who had died one year ago. She had a disease that no magic could cure, one that also had no antidote or medicine. It was a fast acting virus that would kill its host in a matter of weeks. The virus had no symptoms other than acute pains in the back of the head and constant headaches.

Lucy stared out the window and watched as faces passed by. None familiar. She had hoped somehow that another kid at her school up to this point would also be a witch or wizard, but, so far, there was no one she knew of.

"S'cuse me," a voice said into Lucy's compartment.

Lucy looked over and saw a young girl, probably a first year too, standing there with her trunk behind her. She was short, wearing an orange tank top and a white skirt, her dark hair pulled back by a headband. "Mind if I sit with you?"

Lucy smiled happily. "Yes, yes, please." This was good. Maybe she could make her first friend.

The girl heaved her trunk in and Lucy began to help her.

"Goodness, what's in here?" Lucy asked, pulling on the trunks handles.

"Oh, well, mostly my books, some clothes, um, my hair brush, tooth brush, tooth paste, um—"

Lucy laughed. "No need for specifics, but how many books do you have?"

They pulled the trunk in and put it under the other seat. Lucy and the girl sat down on opposite seats.

"I have about 40 books, maybe more, I just...love reading."

"Well, the heaviness of the luggage is explained."

The girl smiled and held out a hand. "My names Levy McGarden. You?"

Lucy grabbed her hand and shook it. "Lucy Heartf—Heartfilia." She stumbled on her name, and ended up sounded pretty stupid, but Levy smiled and shook Lucy's hand once more before pulling away.

"Nice to meet you, Lucy. Are you related to Jude and Layla Heartfilia?" Her voice was polite, but it still sent a stab of pain through Lucy's stomach.

Lucy looked down sadly and nodded. "I'm their daughter."

"Oh," Levy said. "I'm sorry."

Lucy looked back up at her. Most people knew about her mother's death, and knew that it was hard for the Hearfilia family. The famous Layla Heartfilia. Proud mother and powerful Auror. Dead.

"It's not your fault. Everyone dies, right?" Lucy said, trying not to sound upset, the quaver in her voice that she had been practicing for ages to get rid of finally not there. "It was my mother's time, but I'll see her again one day."

Levy smiled solemnly. "Positive. Good way to look at it." She paused. Then, "So, what house do you want to be sorted in?"

Levy McGarden: professional topic changer.

Lucy played with a strand of hair. "Ravenclaw would be cool. I just don't want to be sorted into Slytherin."

"Cause most Slytherins are jerks, right?"

"Yeah," Lucy lied. That was part of the reason, but it was mostly because her dad had been in Slytherin. Not even in Lucy's worst nightmare would she ever turn out to be like her father. No, now she was going to Hogwarts and she wasn't going to let her father ruin her experience at the school. Lucy looked at Levy, and made a silent promise that, starting now, she _would not _think about her father.

"Well," Levy said, clasping her hands together. "I want to be in Ravenclaw. Maybe we'll be sorted into the same house! Oh my, that would be so cool."

"It would," Lucy agreed. "What magic is your favorite? Like, if you could specialize in one magic, what would it be?"

Levy pursed her lips while she thought. "Runes is probably my favorite, and any magic related to books. And you? What kind of magic is your favorite?"

"Summoning," Lucy answered instantly. It was the magic her mother used the most, and she had even taught Lucy a few summoning spells, even though it was forbidden to do so before she was enrolled in school. That was a secret kept between Lucy and her mother.

Levy cocked an eyebrow, "Summoning? That's cool. Why summoni-"

Levy and Lucy jumped at a sudden crashing noise outside their compartment. They leaned over to see what it was.

A boy with pink hair lay on the floor. His face was practically green and he was holding his stomach. Lucy then noticed the train had just started to move. Levy turned to the window and waved to the people they began passing, ignoring their fellow passenger.

Lucy stood from her seat and rushed to the boy's aid.

"It's a _train,"_ the boy groaned.

"Um, are you okay?" Lucy asked, helping him up. She ended up only able to get him to his knees.

"Tr-tra-train," he stuttered.

"He gets motion sickness really easily."

Lucy jumped and looked around for whoever had just spoken. She saw no one but the other people locked away in their compartments.

"Uh, hello?" she said, looking around frantically.

"I'm behind you," the childish voice said.

Lucy turned expecting a girl about her age to be standing there, but instead the boy's trunk was there with a bright blue kitten sitting on top of it.

"Um..." Lucy mumbled. She was totally confused. Who was speaking?

"I'm Happy."

Lucy yelped and dropped the pink haired, groaning boy back on the floor. He moaned as his head smacked the floor of the train.

"You-you just! You're a-a-a cat!" Lucy pointed at the kitten, terrified.

"Aye sir! I sure am!" The kitten said and then meowed.

Lucy didn't know what was weirder, the blue, talking cat or the almost unconscious, pink-haired boy lying on the floor next to her.

"But... you can talk?" Lucy questioned nervously.

The kitten's muzzle remained totally normal as he spoke. Lucy could see his tongue move and the sides of his month make speech motions as he spoke.

"Of course I can talk! Ever heard of an Exceed? Talking cats!" the kitten explained.

Lucy eyed him and slowly tried to help the pink-haired boy again. She didn't take her eyes off of the kitten.

"Do you have a name?" She asked.

"I told you already. I'm Happy," he said.

Then it clicked in Lucy's mind, "You're name is happy, so you weren't just telling me how you felt. That makes more sense now that I think about it."

"Hey, what's going on out here?"

Lucy turned and saw, behind her head, a pale boy with black hair leaning out of his compartment. He wore a red shirt with a white jacket over it. He had his hands in his black jean pockets and he laughed at the scene he saw. He pulled himself from the compartment and stood in the pathway with Lucy, Happy, and the pink-haired boy.

Lucy was halfway crouching with the nearly unconscious boy's arm over her shoulder. She was hoping her skirt was still covering everything from her knees and up. Happy jumped from his spot on the trunk and now was awkwardly perched on Lucy's shoulder.

"Who're you?" Happy asked.

"Gah!" The boy jumped, "You're a cat!"

Happy looked at Lucy with an annoyed look on his kitten face. "You have no clue how many times I hear that."

The boy took in a breath and composed himself. "I'm Gray Fullbuster, incase you wanted to know."

He stuck out a hand and Lucy frowned.

"I'd love to take your hand, but I think I need that hand of yours to help this kid," Lucy retorted back. She didn't mean to sound rude, but it's doesn't take the brightest of the bunch to figure out she needed help. Happy then hopped down from Lucy's shoulder and back onto the trunk.

"Oh," Gray said slowly, leaning down to help. "God, how much does this kid weigh?" Lucy groaned as she pulled him through the compartment entry.

Levy looked up from the book she was now reading.

"So what's his problem...?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

"He has really bad motion sickness," Happy said. Levy's jaw dropped when she saw Happy.

"He just-" she began, but Lucy interrupted.

"Yeah, he can talk. Wanna help?"

Levy folded the corner of her page and hopped up and helped pull the boy in. The three placed him next to where Lucy had once been sitting.

"So," Gray said, eyeing the boy who began to moan and groan again with his dark blue eyes. "Who's this kid? He looks like a wimp."

"He's no wimp! He's Natsu Dragneel, a metamorphmagus raised by the great dragon Igneel!" Happy said, stomping a paw.

"You're kidding," Gray said with a frown and raised eyebrows.

"Incredible!" Levy gasped and stared at Natsu.

Lucy frowned. "What's a, uh, metaphoragus?"

"A _metamorphagus_," Levy said, correcting Lucy. "Is a witch or wizard with the ability to change their appearance at will. It's incredibly rare, and Happy," Levy turned to Happy, "he was raised by _what_?"

"The great dragon Igneel," Happy answered.

Lucy and Levy looked at each other. "Um..." they said simultaneously, eyebrows furrowing towards each other.

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," Gray moaned, unimpressed. He rolled his eyes, something Lucy noticed that he liked to do a lot. He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed out a breath through his nose.

"But it's true!" Happy shouted, a hint of anger in his high pitched voice.

"Well," Lucy said sitting down and sighing, "I guess we can ask him when he, um, wakes?"

"Hey Lucy, we should get his trunk in here too," Levy said, pointing at the square trunk sitting in the hallway.

Lucy sighed. She was not in the mood for moving another trunk. "Oh yeah. Wanna help, Gray?"

Gray turned and looked at the trunk with dark eyes, like it was a snake or something. "Might as well."

Lucy, Levy, and Gray all helped heave the trunk into the compartment and stored it under Lucy's seat, right next to her trunk. It was a tight fit, but they managed to make it work.

All three of them sat down and Happy curled up on Natsu's lap. Levy grabbed her book and began to read again.

Gray looked at Natsu and frowned. "I probably should get back to my compartment," he said, jerking his thumb out behind him.

Lucy shrugged. "You could stay here if you want. I like company. It makes things more interesting." _Plus, I'd like all the friends I can get.  
_

Gray shook his head as he stood. "Well, I'd stay, but he," Gray pointed at Natsu, "reeks of smoke, and I think he's going to throw up, and I'd rather it not be on me. I'll see you around though."

"Party pooper!" Lucy called at him as he left the compartment. She really _did_ hope she would see him around though. Even though he seemed grumpy, she hadn't really had firneds before.

But she also somehow she knew Gray and Natsu weren't going to get along, even though she didn't even know what Natsu's personality was yet.

Lucy shook her head at the thought and looked at Natsu. He had a white shirt on, with a black vest over top. Around his neck, he wore a white scarf with black perpendicular lines on it. She looked at his pink hair and saw the thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

"Should I take his scarf off?" Lucy asked Happy.

Happy looked gravely at her. "No. Never ever, ever, e_ver _take his scarf."

"But look at him; he's covered in sweat."

"Don't do it."

"I'm doing it."

"No! Don't do it!"

Lucy reached over and before her hand even touched the scarf, Natsu's hand rushed up and grabbed her wrist. Lucy yelped from shock.

Natsu's eyes shot open and he looked at her with his dark eyes. "Don't touch my scarf," he growled, and she realized with a jolt that his canines were sharper than normal, which freaked her out a bit.

Lucy gulped and yanked her hand away. "I-I'm sorry. I won't touch it."

Natsu's angry face turned suddenly happy and he smiled at her. "Sorry."

Lucy smiled weakly, still shocked about his sudden reaction.

"No proble-" Her jaw dropped as Natsu's eyes widened and he suddenly grabbed his stomach and threw his head out the window. Lucy turned away so she didn't have to see his regurgitated breakfast. He slowly brought his head back in and began to groan again.

"He's got motion sickness really bad. This isn't even the worst I've seen," Happy squeaked, pathetically joyful. He always sounded like a four-year-old kid who had just gotten a candy bar. Always, well, happy. Made sense why he was named that.

"I can tell," Lucy muttered, sliding over a bit from Natsu. Best not to be thrown up on by him.

Lucy smiled and looked out the window. Somehow there was none of Natsu's breakfast on the window (thank goodness), so Lucy had a clear view.

'_What a start to my first year,'_ she thought to herself. She had meet a book nerd, a talking, blue cat, a pink-haired boy who had an extreme case of motion sickness, and probably the most normal of the four people she met was Gray, and even _he _was as grumpy as her father.

And she would later figure out that even _he _had a strange habit of his own...


	2. Chapter 2 (Gray) Gray and Lyon

Chapter 2

**GRAY**

Gray Fullbuster didn't mind the cold, in fact, he kind of enjoyed it. Even though it was raining, and the other kids he was sitting with in the boat; Natsu, the two girls from the train (whose names he had just learned; Lucy Heartfilia and Levy McGarden), and another girl named Lisanna, were shivering, he was leaning casually against the boat, eyes narrowed.

Natsu moaned. He was flipped onto his stomach, head over the edge of the boat. "This is even...worse...than...the t-train."

Gray raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, well, no waves on a train."

"Aaaaahhhh," Natsu moaned, and proceeded to vomit again. Gray rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you cold, Gray?" Lucy asked, but it sounded more like, "A-a-aren't y-y-you co-cold, Gra-Gray?" because her teeth were chattering together rapidly.

He shook his head, which caused water to go flying out of his black hair, which was pressed against his cheeks, forehead, and the back of his neck. "I don't get cold."

"What's that's supposed to mean?" Lucy snapped. "You don't just 'don't get cold.'"

Gray shrugged and didn't answer.

His adopted mother had taught him how to withstand the cold. Ul was a master in ice magic, and she was happy to teach him and her adopted son, Lyon, all that she knew.

Gray gasped suddenly, the loss of her suddenly overwhelming, slamming him in the chest and knocking the breath out of him. His heart thudded in his chest, and he tried to keep calm.

He missed her. He missed her a lot.

And he missed his real parents too.

Seven was too young to lose both of the people that gave you life, and eleven was too young to lose the woman that had taken you in and loved you just like you were her own.

Gray wasn't planning on going to a wizard school. But Ul had gone here. He owed it to her to go to her school, and live up to her name.

And maybe all of these people in the boat with him would make him feel less lonley. He had always considered Lyon as a brother, not a friend, and, saying that, he hadn't had a real friend since his entire town had been destroyed and everyone but him killed.

"Gray?" Lisanna asked, noticing his sudden change in character. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he choked.

"Oh wow. It's getting closer. Look how big it is!" Lucy perked up, pointing at Hogwarts, which was, indeed, getting bigger.

It looked more like a castle than a school, with wavering lights and turrets and towers, and walls that seemed to go on and on and on.

The boat was going along by itself, and it was heading for a stretch of land to the right of the school. In fact, some boats had already mounted there, and kids were pulling it further up so that the other boats could run up into the sand.

"It's impressive," Gray said simply, wiping the rain off of his face with his sleeve.

"Just impressive?" Lucy questioned condescendingly.

Gray shrugged, a habit he found himself doing quite a bit, continuing to stare at the school.

A moment later, after the rain started pouring down even harder, their boat rammed into the sand, and, before Gray could even move, Natsu had jumped out of the boat and was practically doing cartwheels. "NO! MORE! BOAT!"

"Yeah, okay," Gray muttered, climbing out of the boat and standing by it, waiting for the girls to get out as well. They pulled out all of their luggage (and Natsu's…), and then he, with Lucy's help, pulled the boat further up the beach.

They then proceeded to walk to the school (they were already soaking wet—their robes stuck to their skin—no reason to run), and they followed the slew of students through the humungous front doors.

The hall they walked into was huge, just like the doors, extending for forever in every direction, with pretty stairs and marble stairs leading up into oblivion. They followed suit of what the rest of the students had done; left their trunks in the hall, then followed the mass of First Years down the hall and to the left, going through another set of large doors into the biggest dining hall Gray had ever seen.

Candles floated over them, and every single student, including him, stared up at them in wonder. In front of them, there were four very long tables, and, in the front of the room, elevated, there was another long table, where all of the professors were sitting.

"Please just stand in the middle, First Years. We will start the sorting momentarily," a booming voice said, and Gray figure out it was a very short man standing on a podium in front of the professor table.

Gray's eyes drifted to the Ravenclaw table; where Ul had been. It wasn't the first time that he wondered what house he would get sorted into. He didn't know, really. Ravenclaw was known for being smart, and Gray didn't think of himself as being all that smart; maybe common sense smart, but not book smart.

He was snapped out of his thinking by a commotion up towards the front of the room. A tall man with dirty colored hair and a black cloak (obviously the professor that had led all of the kids in), was placing a black hat on a table in front of the podium.

Funny, it kinda looked like it had a face…

And then, all of a sudden, the hat started singing, and all the First Years gasped, stepping back, and then everyone went quiet.

Oh,you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your tops hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

Y ou might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell brave of heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achive their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And you won't get in a flap!

You're safe in my hands(though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

Once he was done, the professor who had put him on the table produced a long list from his cloak, and proceeded to call, "Akatsuki, Ren!"

A dark skinned boy with long black hair in a short ponytail and bangs hanging in his eyes galloped up to the stool, picking the hat up and plopping it on his head, as if he had done it a thousand times.

After about a minute, the hat bellowed, "HUFFLEPUFF!" And the table under the black badger on a yellow background banner started clapping and cheering, and a few students even stood up.

The professor in the cloak when through the list rather quickly.

"Blendy, Sherry!" and the hat was placed on her head like all the rest.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Then he was calling out Natsu. Natsu ran up to the hat, Happy on his shoulder. The hat was only on his head for a second before it called out, "GYRIFFINDOR!" and Natsu smiled, his creepy sharp teeth very noticeable, running over to the table as Happy chirped out congratulations

In their little group of friends, Gray was next, and, before he knew it, the professor was calling out his name.

Gray made his way through the crowd, using his wet shoulder to make his way through all the students. The professor nodded at him as he grabbed the hat and sat down, putting it on his head.

"Hmm…" the hat muttered, and Gray jumped, then quickly figured out that the student with the hat on their head was the only one who could hear it. "Yes, young one, you have much promise. I see Ul in you, but I also see a very brave young man."

_Brave? Doesn't that mean I'm a Gryffindor?_

But the hat didn't shout out Gryffindor.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The claps he got from his new house was very weak and unenthusiastic, but he was still excited. He had kinda hoped for Gryffindor, but that annoying Natsu kid was in it, but anyway, Slytherin was cool enough for Gray.

He tried to catch Lucy's eye as he made his way over, hoping that his possibility at a new friend was happy for him, but all he got from her was a shocked, cold stare.

Gray could stand the cold, but not that kind. That shot all the way down to his bones. Suddenly he _wasn't _so excited about his new house. What was wrong with it that made Lucy look at him like that?

He sat down next to a tall, lean boy with blue hair who had to be at least fourteen. The boy turned his head to look at him as he sat, and Gray saw he had a strange red marking under and over his right eye.

"I'm Gray," he said, his voice shaky, suddenly far more nervous than he'd been up to this point. Something about this boy unsettled him.

The boy gave him a little half smile, holding out one of his pale hands. "Jellal," he almost growled, voice deep, dark, and mysterious.

Gray shook his hand carefully, then turned back to look at the table, which was so shiny he could see his face in it.

"Don't worry," the girl across from him said. She had curly brown hair that was up in a ponytail, with green-rimmed glasses. She looked about the same age as Jellal. "He's always like that, aren't you, Jellal?"

"Mmm," was all he said in return.

"I'm Evergreen. You're a cutie, aren't you?"

Gray shrugged, closing his eyelids halfway and putting his head down on the table, his previous demeanor returning a little bit, now that it was clear that Jellal wasn't going to murder him or anything. All be wanted to do now was sleep.

"LUCY HEARTFILIA!"

Gray perked up when he heard her name, curious as to what house _she _would get. But yes, exactly like Natsu, the moment the hat touched her head, it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

He sighed. He had hoped at least one of the people he had met on the train would be in the same house as him, but, so far, no dice.

There were a few others after. There was a Hibiki Lates, who was sorted into Ravenclaw along with Levy, who was soon after him. Then there was Erik Lehnsherr, a tall boy with redish hair and purplish eyes, who was sorted into Slytherin. He wore a scowl and sat on the other side of Gray.

"I'm Gray." Gray stuck out a hand.

The boy didn't take it, but he did respond, "I"m Cobra." Guess he had a nickname.

Gray bit his lip and awkwardly pulled his hand back. He just trying to be nice.

After that the other girl he had been on the boat with, Lisanna, got sorted into Hufflepuff. After her there was Eve Tearm (a boy with an unusually girly face), who was also sorted into Hufflepuff.

Then, when they were finally getting towards the end of the list, he heard a name that shook him to his core.

"Vastia, Lyon!"

And Gray was on his feet, palms on the table, searching frantically for the light-haired boy that had been his fellow tutee under Ul, and like his brother .

They had gotten separated when Ul had died; Lyon had ran off while Gray had come here, but he didn't think that Lyon was coming here too.

Truthfully, he didn't know if he wanted Lyon in Slytherin with him. They had gotten in a huge fight after Ul had died.

The hat was slowly lowered on Lyon's silver hair. A smug look was on his face.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat called, and Gray filled up with relief. Lyon wasn't in his house.

Gray put his head down on the table, ignoring the rest of the sorting. When it was finished, he perked up a bit when the little man on the podium, who he assumed was the headmaster, said, "We will eat momentarily, but first, we must go over the number one rule at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry-the Forbidden Forest is exactly what the name says; FORBIDDEN. You are not allowed to go there on any circumstance, ever. Are we clear?"

There was a chorus of "yes"s in the crowd of students, and the headmaster nodded. "My name Is Makarov Dreyer. I am your headmaster. I am also going to point out Professor Gildarts Clive, who helped us with the sorting tonight." Makarov pointed one of his small fingers at the man in the ratty cloak, and he nodded, smiling a little. "Now, enjoy the feast!"

And suddenly, Gray was watching food appear on the long, shiny table in front of him, lots of food, more food than he was ever going to eat ever-chicken and steak and mashed potatoes and corn and fruit and warm rolls, along with every drink under the sun; milk and water and juices and soda. His mouth started watering; he hadn't realized how hungry he was.

He reached out and poured himself some Coke and skewered a piece of steak with the silverware that he'd also been provided, scooped up some mashed potatoes, corn, and grapes, and started digging in.

When he was about halfway through his steak, someone tapped him on the back.

Excited that it might be Lucy or Levy or even that weird Natsu kid, he spun around on the bench and saw that it wasn't any of them.

It was Lyon.

His eyes widened, and a chill ran down his spine, which wasn't a common thing for him to feel. He looked up at his former brother, who was smirking down at him, eyes dark.

"Gray Fullbuster. I didn't think you were going to come here."

Gray didn't say anything to this, just kept looking at Lyon and his light hair.

"What are you doing, mudblood?"

More shivers. "Mudblood" was about the lowest possible term you could ever call someone. It was a horrible slang term for someone who was Muggleborn, like he was.

"Don't call me that," he snapped.

Lyon shook his head, crossing his arms over his skinny chest. "I can't believe Ul took you in. And that you're here. I mean, _come on_, your parents deserved to die. They were just muggles. Mine _didn't_."

Gray took in a sharp breath. _That _was a whole new low that he didn't think even Lyon would hit.

He stood up. "Do _not _say that about my parents."

"Hmm...sit down, Mudblood."

Gray looked back behind him, seeing if anyone else had payed any attention to what was going on. Cobra was glaring at Lyon, his eyes narrowed, and Evergreen had her lips pursed and her eyes locked on Lyon too.

Gray turned back to Lyon, pushing his nose in Lyon's face. Suddenly, the bench was pushed back, and a hand was bunching up Lyon's collar. Gray moved back, and Jellal took his place. "Go back to your table, Hufflepuff," he spat, voice a growl.

"Okay, okay! Just let go of me!"

Jellal obeyed, and then pushed Lyon away harshly. Gray almost smiled at how scared Lyon looked as he practically sprinted back to his table.

Jellal sat back down, then looked back at Gray. "You're a muggleborn?"

"Yeah, uh...thank you."

Jellal shrugged, that little half-smile back on his lips. "I'm a muggleborn too."

Gray nodded, thinking maybe this boy could be his friend after all, even if he was a little creepy.

He looked back up at him one more time before he continued to eat, and, when the light caught his eyes, Gray realized one of the reasons that he thought this boy was so creepy in the first place.

One of his eyes was red.

**Boom. Chapter 2; finished! I think the first mark of business is to say that yeah...since Cobra's first name is Erik, we were like "NAME HIM AFTER MAGNETO!", so that's why his last name is Lehnsherr. But also, please leave reviews as well; we'd like all the feedback we can get! Chapter 3 coming soon :)**


	3. Chapter 3 (Natsu)--New Friends

Chapter 3

**Natsu**

Natsu was in heaven. There was food. _Everywhere._ His stomach growled loudly. The only food he had eaten today was thrown up and lying alongside some train tracks... maybe even on the train too.

Natsu began piling food on his plate and stuffing some in his mouth at the same time.

He sighed, potatoes falling from his mouth. "I. Love. Potatoes."

"Natsu," Lucy said, giving Natsu a grimace, "at least use a fork."

Natsu turned his head sideways and stared at her. He grabbed his fork and, without even watching what he was doing, he punctured a steak and began ripping pieces off of it with his sharp canines while it flopped around on the fork.

Lucy placed her hand to her forehead and sighed.

"Natsu, Natsu, Natsu," Happy chirped from Natsu's lap.

"Hmm?" Natsu managed with a full mouth.

Happy looked up at him with big, beady eyes.

"Can I have some?" Happy whimpered, making a pitiful sad face.

Natsu grinned, his canines showing through meat and potatoes. He picked Happy up and placed him on the table.

"Get Happy off the table Natsu!" Lucy whined.

"YOU WILL NEVER MAKE ME LEAVE!" Happy shouted, and the entire table around them gasped.

Lucy sighed and Natsu grinned.

"You're cat," a girl with scarlet hair spoke up, "just _talked._"

Natsu nodded. "He's an Exceed! He can fly too!"

Lucy looked at Natsu and then at Happy in shock. "Seriously? You never told me that."

"Yoo nevar ask'd," Natsu mumbled between chews of his steak.

"Natsu has a poi-EEEK!" Happy shrieked as the scarlet-haired girl picked him girl began to examine Happy. She simply brushed off and ignored all of Happy's struggles.

"I've never heard of an Exceed. How can you fly?" She asked Happy.

"Natsu said to never talk to strangers..." Happy whispered frightenly.

"I'm Erza Scarlet. I'm a fifth year. I use weapon magic. There, we aren't strangers anymore," Erza snapped, then glared at Happy. "Explain."

Happy instantly jumped from Erza's hand. She jumped at his sudden force and began to reach out for him again, but pulled away because of Happy's next action.

Two white wings materialized from Happy's back and he began floating in midair. He didn't even need to flap his wings, he just floated there as if gravity didn't apply to him.

One girl with silver hair clapped. "Yay! Incredible." she looked at Natsu, "He's yours?"

Natsu smiled proudly and put his hands on his hips. "Yes he is!" Lucy rolled her eyes.

"What's his name?" she asked, and her voice sounded like silk; smooth and calm.

"He's Happy," Natsu said and Happy answered too with, "I'm Happy."

The girl smiled. "Happy...nice name. What's yours?" she asked Natsu, smiling sweetly.

Natsu smiled back and looked around the table, all the way from Lucy who sat next to him, to the silver-haired girl one seat down from him.

"I am," he began proudly, "Natsu Dragneel."

"I'm Mirajane," the silver-haired girl said, "but you can always call me Mira."

"Nice to meet you, Mira and Erza," Lucy said, smiling at them both.

Natsu followed in Lucy's example, "Yeah, nice to meet you guys."

Happy floated down on Natsu's lap. He quickly dashed up on the table and pulled away a fish.

"FISH!" he screamed as he began gnawing on it. Natsu took pride in the fact that Happy could eat an entire fish all by himself, considering he was only about a year old.

"He's so cute," Mira cooed, before being pulled away by a muscular boy with similar hair to her own.

Erza looked a Happy curiously. "Where did you find him?"

"My dad, Igneel, brought a giant egg home about a year ago, and guess what? That was Happy's egg!" Natsu said, not bothering to swallow his food before speaking.

"He came from... an _egg_?" Lucy asked.

Erza squinted her eyes. "Did you say your father's name is _Igneel_? As in the famous Animagus Igneel?"

Natsu nodded, and his smile grew from ear to ear.

"Interesting," Erza murmured, placing her hand underneath her chin and staring off in deep thought.

"Um." Lucy waved a hand in front of Erza's face. "I hate to interrupt, but who's Igneel, and what's a Anamamagus?"

Surprising Lucy, Natsu answered. "An _Animagus_ is a wizard who can turn into an animal! Like my dad, he can turn into a _dragon!_"

Lucy's eyes widened. "A... dragon?"

"He's the strongest Animagus ever!" Natsu gleamed.

Lucy look at Erza so she could confirm Natsu's claim. Erza nodded.

"He just might have been, but after he disappeared about a year ago..." Erza stopped when she realized what she was reminding Natsu of, and she quickly added, "I'm sorry, Natsu."

Natsu smiled, but it was a half-hearted attempt. "What can I say? He's the King of the Fire Dragons. He had some urgent business to take care of. He'll be back soon, I know it."

Igneel had disappeared within days of Happy hatching from his egg. On July seventh Natsu woke up and ran to his foster father's room only to find an empty bed. He hadn't cried though. He was strong, and Igneel wouldn't had wanted him to.

The only thing Igneel had left behind for Natsu, other than Happy, was his scarf. Natsu never let it out of his sight, never let anyone touch it, and rarely even took it off his neck.

After Igneel disappeared, Natsu was taken in by a member of the Magic Counsel, the Prime Ministers highly trained witch and wizard consultants. He lived an old geezer named Yajima, a close friend of Hogwart's current headmaster Makarov Dreyer. Natsu got lucky, because any other counsel member wouldn't be able to put up with his bottomless stomach and extreme loudness. See, Yajima was the owner of the 8-Island restaurant, and was an amazing cook. Perfect for Natsu.

Natsu continued to eat until Makarov interrupted the students with annoucements.

"Alright, we have a couple more announcements before we leave you in the hands of your house prefects," Makarov said, "You already know about the forest, but, lets see here, uh, oh! Yes, yes, that's right."

Natsu leaned back and whispered to Lucy, "Bit crazy, eh?"

Lucy leaned forward and whispered back, "You, of all people, shouldn't make that claim."

Natsu glared back at Lucy, but couldn't help but smile.

"Right, right, something about Quidditch. Yes, if you want to play this year, you may talk with Professor Clive. He's opted to take charge of the quidditch games this school year. Well, that's all. I think. Now! Time for you to all get to bed so you're well prepared for tomorrow's classes!"

There was a pause before another teacher ran up and whispered something in his ear, making Makarov clapped his hands together.

"Oh, yes, mustn't forget the school song. Come now, sing however you wish. On the count of three. One, two, three!"

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something, please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot. "_

Natsu felt awkward sitting there as all the older years sang. It was beyond obvious that he'd probably never learn the song. After everyone had finished the song, all the prefects from the different houses took charge and led the years below them to their house associated common rooms.

"Alright," Erza said, standing, "Mira and I'll show you where to go."

Mira nodded and smiled sweetly.

Natsu looked at Happy. "Let's go."

"Aye sir!" Happy chirped as he jumped down from the bench. Natsu swung his legs over, nearly knocking Lucy off. Lucy frowned and stuck her tongue out at him, but followed the large group of Gryffindors.

They all walked up an insane amount of stairs when they came to a painting of a fat man who was painting another portrait.

"Evening Reedus," Mira said as she approached the painting.

"Ah, Mira, how's one of my favorite prefects?" Reedus stopped painting, turning to look at her and the large group following along behind.

"I'm doing well. Erza and I brought the new students." Mira made a gesture to Natsu and the rest of the group.

"There's some old ones too, I hope," Reedus said, raising his eyebrows.

Mira laughed, "We can't forget them."

Reedus smiled. "Password?"

"Mermaid Glitter."

Reedus nodded and the painting swung open and the was an opening into another room.

"Cool!" Natsu shouted and bolted in. First things first: explore.

"Wait for me!" Happy shouted and dashed in the common room behind him.

Lucy and Erza both sighed as they followed the two. Mira and the rest of the Gryffindor house followed after all of them.

Natsu threw himself into one of the many armchairs in the room and sighed contently. Happy jumped up on his lap and curled up.

"It's so nice and warm." Natsu leaned back and put his hands behind his hand.

Erza frowned. "Are you going to sleep there, or go up to your bed?" She pointed up the left, where there was a spiral staircase leading up into the ceiling.

Natsu smiled and dashed up the stairs to the boys dormitory. He ran through a hallway, passing different rooms as he looked for the room with his trunk. He finally found it in a smaller, square room with two other trunks.

"Come on, Happy," Natsu shouted back to Happy, who was flying a few rooms down from where Natsu was. Natsu looked back and saw a few other boys begin searching for their dorm room.

Natsu threw himself on the bed with his trunk at the foot. He sighed as two more boys entered the room. One had silver hair, just like Mira had. Natsu recognized him as the boy who Mira had been talking to earlier. The other boy had his hair covered by a black cap. His dark blue hair covered the right side of his face, and from his nose down was covered by a scarf. He was tall and gave off a mysterious vibe.

"I'm Natsu," Natsu introduced himself, "and that's Happy," he pointed to the fourth bed where Happy lay.

The boy with silver hair smiled. "I'm Elfman. I'm a third year. You're a first year right?"

Natsu nodded.

"Last year there were two seventh years in her with Mystogan and I. Since they graduated, I'm guessing that they put you in here with us because there wasn't any where else for you. That's what they did with me and Mystogan. People are calling this the leftover room," Elfman explained, "But I won't complain, because a man doesn't complain."

"Cool, so we're like the special room! My dad Igneel always said I was special," Natsu smiled nostalgically. There was a pause, but quickly Natsu began talking again.

"So, do you work out a lot?" Natsu asked as he observed Elfman's large muscles, which were pressing against his robes.

Elfman nodded. "A man needs to be strong."

"Cool." Natsu sat up and looked at the other boy, "Oh, and who're you?"

The boy didn't answer. He just sat on his bed and began going through his trunk.

"That's Mystogan," Elfman said, "He doesn't talk much, but he's one of the Gryffindor prefects. Professor Gildarts, the Gryffindor head, chose him, Erza, Mira, Alzack Connell, a sixth year, Bisca Moulin, also a sixth year, and this one guy, Simon. He's also a sixth year, but I don't know much about him."

Natsu nodded, trying to remember all the information he just learned and knowing it would slip his mind in about three seconds. He looked back at Mystogan.

"So," Natsu asked Mystogan, hoping to get an answer, "Why do you cover your face?"

Mystogan looked up from his trunk, "So I'm not mistaken for someone else."

Elfman stared at Mystogan, and Natsu smiled triumphantly. He wasn't actually looking for an answer, but for Mystogan to say something. Although, what Mystogan said sparked Natsu's curiosity. "Who?"

Mystogan didn't answer. Instead he walked into the small walk-in closet to change his clothes. Natsu groaned and fell back on his bed. He lifted his head and looked at Elfman, who was removing his shirt to put on his pajamas. Natsu turned his head and looked at Happy who was sound asleep now.

Natsu didn't even bother to change. He climbed under his covers and looked out the window next to his bed. He heard Elfman climb into bed, and Mystogan emerge from the closet and climb into his bed as well.

Natsu closed his eyes, and drifted off. He dreamt of the one thing he longed for most.

His father.


	4. Chapter 4 (Erza) Fairy Tail Club

Chapter 4

**Erza**

The next morning, Erza helped lead the Gryffindors down to the dining hall, where breakfast was waiting. She tried to keep an upbeat attitude, but, truth be told, she was exhausted. The night before, her new roommate, Lucy, wouldn't stop talking with Mira, and, when they finally did and she managed to drift off, her sleep was unstable and full of nightmares.

She had hoped that this year would be the start of her recovery...for finding someone else.

But...Erza didn't want anyone else; she wanted the boy who was already gone.

She looked across the dining hall, seeing him sitting in-between what must've been two First Year; both younger boys-one with black hair and one with maroon hair. Anger and hopelessness flared through her, along with a million other complex emotions. He had hurt her and her friends, but, at the same time, she felt like it hadn't been _him_. Because...would the real Jellal ever do something so cruel?

Should she try to talk to him?

"Hey, Erza, are you looking at that guy from our boat?" Natsu asked suddenly, making her snap back to attention.

"What?" Had Jellal ridden with them on the way there? But only First Years rode the boats.

"He's talking about Gray Fullbuster," Lucy said, "We talked to him a bit on the train and the boat ride in. He got sorted into Slytherin. Though, you wouldn't know that, so I don't know _why _she would be staring at him, _Natsu_."

Erza shook her head, dropping her gaze to the table. "No. I was just...there's a boy over at the Slytherin table that I know really well."

"Oh. Okay," Natsu said, moving on instantly.

If only _she _could do that.

She took a deep breath and smiled at Natsu and Lucy. "How are you liking Hogwarts so far?"

"It's _really _cool!" Natsu exclaimed, shoving an entire pancake into his mouth. Once he swallowed, he continued. "I'm in a room with Mira's brother, and this other weird guy named Mystogan."

"Weird?" Lucy asked.

Erza nodded. "Mystogan doesn't let anyone see his face. He's a prefect, like me. That's him over there." She gestured to where Mystogan was sitting, not eating anything, just watching everyone else from the little slit in-between his mask and black cap. "It's said he eats alone, when no one else is around."

"I asked him why he wore his mask," Natsu said, nearly jumping up and down on his spot on the bench. "He said 'So I'm not mistaken for someone else.'"

"I wonder who that someone else is?" Lucy asked wistfully, "and why it's such a big deal that he hides his face because of it?"

Erza shrugged. "So. Who's this Gray Fullbuster fellow?"

Lucy's gaze darkened. "He's in _Slytherin. _And I thought he was a decent guy."

Erza knitted her eyebrows, dropping her utensils onto her plate. "Just because you're in Slytherin doesn't mean you're not nice."

Lucy looked up at her in confusion. "What? But I thought..."

"People in Slytherin are known to be more distant, a bit cunning, and, _sometimes _a little dark, but it certainly doesn't mean that you're not a decent person. Stop being so stereotypical," she snapped. Jellal had been in Slytherin even before he had changed. At first she had been confused; why had Jellal been sorted into the dark house? But she later realized, just because they were Slytherin didn't mean they weren't kind.

"I'm sorry." Lucy angled her eyes down, towards the shiny table. "I just know someone who was in Slytherin who isn't very nice."

"I know people in Slytherin who aren't very nice. But I also know people in _other _houses who aren't very nice."

Lucy nodded.

"I thought Gray was nice," Happy squeaked.

Natsu snorted. "He was annoying. And weird."

"_You _shouldn't be talking," Lucy said, perking up again. "Honestly, he's one of the most normal people I've met here, and how would you know? You were either unconscious or throwing up every time we were around him."

"I'm normal!" Natsu slammed a fist on the table.

"No you're not," Happy said, deadpan.

Erza's lips twitched up into a small smile. "Would you two like to join the Fairy Tail club?"

"The what?"

"It's a pretty big club we have here at the school. All years can join, and it's really fun, plus, you get really close to the people in it."

"What do you do?" Lucy asked, curious.

"Well, we take jobs that the school offers us. Nothing too big or bad, just like...a step up from community service. A few teachers are in it too. Another reason to join is that you can get major house points."

Natsu's jaw dropped open, revealing more chewed up pancake. Lucy grimaced. "Whoa whoa whoa, what's a house point?"

"Oh, there's this house cup held every year. It's a competition between the houses. Last year Hufflepuff beat us by about forty points."

"Yes!" Natsu cheered and did a fist pump. "I love competitions!"

Erza continued to explain more about Fairy Tail, "It's in room 206 if you want to come by after your first day of classes; we only have a few serious meetings, but they always have a bunch on the first few days to introduce the First Years. Plus, even when there aren't any meetings, there's always a few people hanging out in our room. I could help you get there."

Lucy nodded frantically. "Yes, _yes_, I want to go! Natsu, you'll go too, right?"

Natsu nodded. "This is gonna be awesome! We're gonna get the most house points, right Happy?"

Happy's eyes got wide. "Yes! Natsu, join the club!"

Erza laughed. "There are a few more clubs, but Fairy Tail is the best one. We also get the best marks." She rolled up the left sleeve of her robe, revealing her light blue Fairy Tail mark, which looked like a fairy flying. which was permanent unless you joined another club, though very few did that. Once you were in a club, you stayed there.

All three of them starred, excited. "Who else is in it?" Natsu asked.

"Well, Mira and her brother, Elfman. And they're probably going to recruit their little sister, Lisanna, as well."

"Hey! We were on the boat with her!" Lucy squealed. "Yay! Now I already know a bunch of people in the club. Oh! I need to tell Levy too!" She stood, running off to the Ravenclaw table.

Erza sat with Natsu, Lucy, Levy, and Happy at their first Fairy Tail meeting. Lucy was smiling like a lunatic, Levy couldn't stop fumbling with her book, and Natsu kept worming around on his seat, Happy flying in circles around him.

"So, who are some of the people we should know?" Lucy asked.

Erza pointed across the room at a girl with long brown hair sitting on one of the tables, chugging Butterbeer. "That's Cana Alberona. She's nice, but she has an addiction to Butterbeer, so don't even think about challenging her to a drinking contest. She'll win. She's in the same year as me."

She moved on, about to point out Gildarts Clive, but then she felt the presence of someone behind her, and she spun around. "LEO! GO AWAY!"

The darn Gryffindor ghost was floating in midair behind her, hands on his hips, his orange mane of hair divided by his dark glasses, which he had pushed up into it. He was wearing his black suit and dress shoes, a mischievous look on his face. And, in entirety, he was translucent.

He winked, smirking, pulling his glasses back over his eyes. "Who are these two cuties?" He "walked" around her, standing in front of Lucy and Levy, completely ignoring Natsu.

"That's Lucy Heartfilia, Levy McGarden, and the pink-haired boy is Natsu Dragneel. The cat's Happy."

"Lucy's a very _pretty _name," Leo murmured, dropping his face down so that it was right in Lucy's. "It really _is _a shame that I'm taken."

Erza sighed. "Guys, this is Gryffindor's ghost, Leo...or Loke. He has two names. He's dating Ravenclaw's ghost, Aries, but still hits on every girl that he lays his eyes on."

Leo smiled.

"Cool!" Natsu shrieked, and proceeded to stick his hand in Leo's stomach, which just passed right through him.

"Whoa! Hey, dude. Private there." Leo backed up, holding his hands up in warning.

"How did you die?" Levy asked.

"I didn't die. I'm actually more of a spirit than a ghost. I was born like this, if that makes sense. I'm known as Leo because I'm the Leo spirit in the zodiac, the leader, Leo the Lion."

Lucy stood up, her smile almost creepy. "Wow! Could I, like, ever _summon_ you?"

Leo shrugged. "If you know summoning magic, sure."

"That's what I want to do! Do you think, when I learn some magic, I could summon you?"

Leo smiled. "Sure thing, cutie. I'll be waiting." He waved, and Erza swore sparkles drifted off his hand. Then he floated away.

"Alright, guys, this is going to be a short announcement!" The headmaster, Makarov, spoke up, silencing all conversation. He was standing on a table, looking around at all of them.

"Whoa!" Natsu cried. "The headmaster is in _this _guild? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. Pretty cool, huh?"

"As you know, the job board is over there. How this works, First Years, is that you simply pick a job, do it, and, when you get back, the number of points that is the reward are awarded to your house. You have to do at least five jobs a year, and can _not _complete the jobs marked 'S-Class' until you are a Fifth Year and have passed the exam you have to take during your fourth year. First Years are only allowed to take jobs that are 50 points and under, for safety reasons."

"Now! To the fun stuff. Remember, it doesn't matter what house you're in here. Out on a job? Sure, whatever. I don't care. But here, we're all family. We're all Fairy Tail." Makarov narrowed his eyes, nodding. "I am happy to see that all of you from last year have returned, and am also happy to see new faces. Make sure to get even more First Years in here, you understand? We'll have another meeting where I'll make the exact same announcement tomorrow. Have fun mingling!"

Makarov jumped off the table, and everyone erupted back into chatter.

"I want to do a job!" Natsu exclaimed, jumping up and down on his seat again.

"Job! Job! Job!" Happy chanted.

Erza laughed. "Wait a week at least, okay? Settle into your classes before you try any of that stuff."

"Alright..."

"So," Levy started, "Are there any other teachers besides Professor Clive in the club?"

Erza pointed to Wabaka and Macoa, who were hardly ever seen apart. They were sitting at a table at the edge of the room, Wabaka smoking while Macoa was smiling and playing with his necklace, which was silver and shaped like an S. "The one smoking is Wabaka; he teaches Charms. The other is Macoa; he teaches Hogwarts History. Macoa has a son that he fawns over way too much and he somehow always works into every single one of his lessons. He'll be coming here soon. Either next year or the one after."

Levy nodded.

Natsu jumped up suddenly. "Oh look! There's Mystogan! I've gotta go say hi!" He sprinted over to the hooded figure, slapped him on the arm, and caused him to jump about twenty feet in the air.

When he recomposed himself to talk to Natsu, and probably try to shoo him away, Mystogan looked over at her, his eyes dark and mysterious and hiding something.

**Sorry we took so long; I got stuck. Anywho, here it is! **


	5. Chapter 5 (Lucy) A Stolen Mission

Chapter 5

**LUCY**

Lucy placed her quill vertical to her potions book. She looked over and saw Natsu drifting off. His head was propped up on his arm, and he was drooling all over himself. Lucy gave him a small nudge and he bolted awake.

"GAH! Oh, hi Lucy." Natsu smiled.

"Shhh," Lucy whispered. "Class starts any minute."

Natsu looked around at the other students. "What class are we in again?"

Lucy sighed and put her head on the desk. "There's no way you're going to get past first year."

"We're in potions, pinky," Gray said from behind. He had just entered the room and sat down at the desk behind Lucy and Natsu. Lucy looked up at him and smiled. _At the end of class_, she vowed, _I'm going to invite him to join Fairy Tail._

Natsu frowned and turned towards Gray. "I didn't ask you, squinty-eyes."

Gray rolled his eyes. "How was I supposed to know, dimwit?"

A low growl escaped Natsu's throat as he began to stand.

Lucy quickly grabbed Natsu's robe and pulled him back down.

"Don't get in a fight your second day! You'll get point deducted from our house," Lucy reminded.

Before Natsu or Gray could comment back, a sudden aroma filled the room. Lucy grimaced. It smelled like on of those horrible men cologne and like moldy wood.

Natsu plugged his nose and waved away the pink fog that was filling up the room.

"Hello First Years," a deep and drawn out voice boomed, "and welcome to Potions. My name is..." there was a dramatic pause. Suddenly near the front of the classroom sparks erupted everywhere and a short, plump man stood there. "Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki!"

A few students clapped...but only a few. The rest of the students just starred, not from awe, but from confusion.

The man was probably about four feet tall, maybe four and a half, with long golden- auburn hair. He had a ridiculously large butt chin that he would repeatedly rub for no reason.

Natsu began to chuckle. Lucy elbowed him.

"Shhh," she whispered, "Don't get his attention."

"Professor Ichiya is what you may call me," he said. He flipped his golden-red hair as he spoke and then he randomly mumbled, "Men..."

"This is going to be an interesting year..." Lucy muttered.

...

Finally, class got out. It was pretty much full of dramatic pauses and unnecessary hair flips. The entire time Lucy just wanted to to hit her head repeatedly on her desk. Natsu fell asleep multiple times too. Lucy had to wake him up every time he began snoring.

Gray had helped Lucy keep Natsu awake by kicking the back of chair (and none too lightly) every time he began dozing off.

Lucy and Natsu walked out of the classroom. Lucy stopped at the doorway.

"What're you doing?" Natsu asked.

Lucy gestured back to the classroom with her shoulder. "I'm gonna ask Gray to join Fairy Tail. I've gotta apologize too."

Natsu's eyes widened. "What?!"

Lucy nodded stubbornly. "I'm going to ask him."

Natsu moaned and slouched against the wall. "Fine..."

Lucy smiled and Gray finally exited, flashing them a quick smile and beginning to walk down the hallway. Lucy and Natsu rushed after him.

"What took you so long?" Natsu asked.

Gray shuddered. "Professor Ichiya... he stopped me to talk..."

"I'm sorry," Lucy said sympathetically. Natsu laughed.

"I bet that was fun." He chuckled more.

"What he talk to you about?" Lucy asked.

"If I used dye in my hair." Gray shrugged. "I guess it looks blacker than average...?"

Lucy laughed. "Of all people to ask if they use dye in their hair, he askes you? I mean, you'd think he'd ask Natsu first."

"My hair is awesome, by the way," Natsu added.

"Yeah, to a five-year-old girl who loves pink," Gray retorted.

Natsu glared at Gray, "Do we have to invite him?" he asked Lucy, grimacing.

"Yes, Natsu, we're inviting him."

"Invite me?"

"To join Fairy Tail," Natsu said to Gray and turned back to Lucy, "Do we have to?"

"_Yes_, we have to."

"But-"

"No buts."

"Yeah, I'll join," Gray cut into Lucy and Natsu's argument.

Lucy's face light up. "Yay! After classes today Natsu and I will show you where to go."

Natsu held up hands in protest. "I'm not sho-"

"Oh yes you are," Lucy said sternly.

Gray laughed. "You two are ridiculous. Yeah, I heard a few people in my house talking about Fairy Tail yesterday. They said it's a lot of fun. I had actually planned on joining."

"Awesome!" Lucy said, "Also, I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Gray asked.

"For being stereotypical..." Lucy said quietly.

She looked up at Gray and he shrugged. "Is this about me sorted?"

Lucy nodded. "I wasn't very nice the way I reacted. It's just, I thought everyone in Slytherin was mean, but I was wrong. I'm sorry."

"Eh." Gray shrugged, "It's not biggy. It's in the past now."

"Cool."

Natsu smiled despite his dislike for Gray.

"Oh, so what class are you going to now?" Lucy asked.

"Hogwarts History," Gray answered, "You?"

"Ugh, we have another class with him?" Natsu moaned.

...

"I. Hate. That. Class." Natsu groaned as he sat down at one of the tables in the Fairy Tail club room.

"We _know_; you can stop complaining." Lucy sighed as she sat down next to him.

Gray slouched down across from Lucy, rubbing his temple. "I one hundred percent agree with Natsu. I've never been that bored ever in my entire life ever."

"Bored from what?" Levy asked, plopping herself down next to Gray.

"Hogwarts History," Gray and Natsu moaned together.

"What?" Levy gasped, actually looking shocked. "_I_ liked the class."

"Yeah, but you _like_ to learn," Lucy sighed, "They don't."

Natsu began to speak, but then couldn't find anything to say and shrugged, "Yeah, can't really argue with that."

Gray put his head on the desk. "I'm open to learning, just not history."

"See," Lucy said to Levy, "history is boring."

Suddenly, Erza sat down next to Lucy, nearly pushing Natsu off the other end.

"History is boring. I prefer transfiguration." She stuck her hand out to Levy. "I'm Erza, by the way."

Levy smiled and took her hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Levy."

Erza smiled back, pulled her hand away, and looked at Gray. "You must be Gray."

Gray nodded, and he and Erza began to talk.

Lucy leaned behind Erza. "Hey Natsu," she said, trying to get his attention, "Natsu!"

Natsu leaned back, "Huh?"

"Where's Happy?"

Natsu gulped. "Heh heh, he's uh, still in my room. He's, uh, taking a nap," he said nervously, pulling at his scarf.

Lucy frowned. What was he up to?'

...

Lucy looked at her watch. It was almost midnight. Why did she have so much homework? It was only the second day of school. She was alone in the common room; the other students had either given up on homework and went to bed or were just doing it in their rooms. She sighed and rested her head on her transfigurations book.

"Lucy," someone whispered. Lucy's head jolted up and she looked around.

Natsu came creeping up the staircase, Happy next to him.

"Lucy, look." He held out a piece of paper. Lucy sighed and took it.

"What is this?" She read the paper slowly, "Is this a-"

Natsu smiled and puffed out his chest, "A S-Class mission? Sure is!"

Lucy's jaw dropped. "Where did you-"

"Happy snuck it from the S-Class board." Natsu flashed his canines.

Lucy stared at the two. They were going to get is so much trouble. What was she supposed to do? Report them? Tell them to put it back?

"You certainly don't think you can actually do this mission. Someone's going to notice its missing, and if they catch you with it… I don't even want to think of what could happen!" Lucy frowned, rolling the paper up. "You have to return it, and apologize or something."

Natsu groaned. "Ugh, why? Why can't we go on the mission? What if we do a good job on it? All we have to do is go into the Forbidden Forest and—"

Lucy slouched back in her chair, "We can't go into the Forbidden Forest though. There's a reason it's _forbidden_, not to mention it's an _S-Class _mission you're talking about."

Natsu frowned and gave Lucy pitiful puppy-eyes. He puffed out out his bottom lip and looked at the ground, "Please Lucy. You're the only friend I thought would go on the mission with me."

Lucy began to retort, but stopped. Friend. He already trusted her enough to show her something like this. The worst thing that could happen is they'd die, but other than that they'd probably get suspended from all school activities. They probably wouldn't get expelled… and secretly Lucy had wanted something like this to pop up just so she could go against her father's wish: Not to get in trouble. Lucy bit her lip. Natsu was far too stubborn to even consider leaving the mission alone.

It all came down to one question.

Be the good dutiful student or the rebellious daughter.

Lucy unrolled the paper and read it. She quickly looked up at Natsu, who still wore his puppy face, and back at the paper.

It talked about a haunted section of the Forbidden Forest. A group of centaurs were experiencing unnatural changes, and requested help. Only the most advanced students could go investigate, and, even then, they had to check with the headmaster before they agreed.

"It says that these changes happen twice a year, and that they want a few students to come and investigate during December," Natsu explained.

Lucy looked up at him. He was now leaning over her shoulder.

"Why December?" Lucy asked.

Natsu shrugged. "Something about the lunar eclipse in December. They said it's connected with lunar eclipses, whatever those are."

Lucy sighed and looked at the bottom of the paper, "Wait, it says there are other rewards."

"Yeah! I saw, I guess you get extra rewards for S-Class missions." Natsu pointed at the reward list. "100 Galleons and some summoning spell book."

Lucy's stomach did a flip. A spell book with summoning spells. She read the description.

"'This book contains summoning spells for the spirits of Aquarius, Taurus, Cancer, and Sagittarius, four of the famous Zodiac spirits.' Natsu, do you know how valuable that book is?" Lucy asked with wide eyes.

Natsu scratched his chin, "Uh, really valuable?"

"_Extremely_ valuable," Lucy corrected.

Lucy laid the paper down on her transfigurations book.

"I—I'll do it," Lucy couldn't believe the words that came from her mouth. She was going to get in so much trouble, but she didn't care anymore

A mischievous smile spread across Natsu's face, "Yes! I knew you'd come through! This is gonna be so awesome!"

Lucy laughed softly. "But what do we do about the paper? Should we turn it in?"

"Um…" Natsu crossed his arms. "I don't know."

Lucy grabbed the paper and handed it to Natsu. "Tomorrow at the next club meeting, say you found it on the ground of the club room. I'll write down all the information we need. That way we still have the information, but not the paper. No suspicion."

Natsu nodded. "Good idea, but what if someone else decides to do the mission? Then what?"

Lucy frowned, and clapped her hands together, "I've got the perfect idea." She quickly grabbed the paper from Natsu and grabbed her quill, "We'll just change the date. Instead of December, I'll change the month to January. Once we do the job, we can tell the centaurs to just remove the help request. They'll be so happy we solved their problem that they won't ask any questions. It'll be removed, you'll get the money, and I'll get the spell book. It's perfect."

Natsu held up an open hand. "Whoo, I knew I could depend on you for help."

Lucy smiled and high fived him. "That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right," Natsu said with a smile.

**Sooooo sorry this took forever to be posted. I wasn't in the same state as my computer for about a week and a half so I couldn't write. The next chapter certainly won't take so long to be posted. Enjoy (and leave reviews if you have any comments.) :)**


	6. Chapter 6 (Gray) Awakening

Chapter 6

**GRAY**

Gray was lying on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Erik (Cobra) had ended up being his roommate, and he was sitting on Gray's trunk, reading out questions for their test in Defense Against the Dark Arts, which Gray was answering half-heartedly.

Cobra was pretty annoying and stuck up, but he was the closest thing that Gray had made to a friend in Slytherin. Their other roommate was a fifth year named Laxus, who never seemed to be there. The only thing the two had learned about him was his first name and that he always hanging with a group called the "Rastinjistu" (idk if that's spelled right but we can fix it later).

"Um..." Cobra groaned, then threw the textbook down. "This is stupid. I'm going to Midnight's room."

Gray watched as the maroon-haired kid left, and then sighed and got up to retrieve the book. He hadn't really figured out much about Cobra either, only that he was _also _in a group.

Gray was the odd one out.

He sat back down on the bed, wishing he was in Gryffindor. He managed to talk to Lucy and Erza and everyone else during classes, and sometimes he even snuck over to their table during meals, but that was about it. When the day was over, he was alone, while they had fun in their common room.

He constantly wondered why the sorting hat had placed him in this house. All of his friends were in the other one.

The room's door open, and he thought it was Cobra forgeting something. But it was a rare appearance from Laxus, the large student lumbering in and collapsing on his bed, feet sticking out over the edge. He sat up when he noticed that Gray was also in the room. "Who are you again?"

He looked over at Laxus. His eyes were half closed, his strange headphones over his ears, the cord disappearing into his coat. Gray wondered if he could even hear him. "I'm Gray Fullbuster. I'm a first year."

Laxus stood, smiling slightly and walking over to him. He crossed his long arms over his massive chest. "My roommate, eh? Right...you and that other kid with the weird hair."

"Cobra," Gray told him. He was rather bored with Laxus by this point; it was _December _and the dude still didn't really know either of his roommates.

"You look pissed off, kid."

Gray looked up at him,. "I just think that it's annoying that you can't seem to remember either of our names, even after almost four months of being at school."

Laxus shrugged, the smile still placed crookedly on his face. He pointed at Gray. "Gray Fullbuster." He jerked his thumb behind him. "Cobra's the kid I ran into in the hallway."

"His real name is actually Erik."

Amazingly, Laxus started to laugh. "Are you kidding me, kid? You're making this hard on me on purpose, aren't ya?"

Gray snickered. "Maybe."

Laxus smacked him on the back. "I'm going back down to the common room to see Ever, Bickslow, and Freed; I just came up here to drop off my coat. But I'll see you around, okay?"

Gray sighed as Laxus left. He was half hoping he would let Gray hang out with them, but that was a dumb hope, wasn't it? They were older kids, they wouldn't let some child in their ranks.

Gray opened his textbook again, not looking forward to finishing up his studying. Luckily, there was a shadow at his door; another distraction. Laxus!? He looked up in glee.

No, Jellal.

"Do you have an extra textbook?" he asked, his voice sending chills over Gray's entire being. He was staring at him through narrow, tired eyes.

"Um." Gray looked around frantically. He felt like if he didn't hand something over to Jellal right now that he would get mad, and he certainly didn't want that. He pointed across the room, to where Laxus's book was lying, discarded, on the floor. "That one is Laxus's. He's the same year as you, so it should be the same textbook. He's downstairs, anyways."

Jellal yawned, stepping into the room and scooping up Laxus's book. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I borrowed this, right?"

Gray shook his head in rapid succession.

Jellal gave him a little smile that didn't really look like a smile at all and slithered back through the door.

Gray couldn't breathe normally for another minute. He was hoping that whatever it was with that kid would go away as Gray got to know him, but so far, he hadn't really _gotten _to know him. So, no dice.

He could also think of it as saying that Jellal still scared the crap out of him.

...

Gray couldn't sleep. He was walking along the basement corridors in his pajamas, his bare feet shuffling along the stone. He supposed they should be cold, but, considering where he was trained, being cold was never really a problem with him. He was walking around outside of the common room after lights out, so he could get in trouble if caught, but he figured since he was a first year they'd just give him a warning. He liked exploring the gloomy corridors better than sitting in the Slytherin common room

"Natsu, are we going the right way?" There was suddenly a fierce whisper, and Gray nearly jumped out of his skin. That was _Lucy_.

"I don't _know_. Ask Happy. He's the cat."

"How does being a cat have anything to do with it?"

"Being a cat means he has a great sense of smell! That means he can lead us out of here!"

"We should've just used some other side door. This place creeps me out."

Gray had snuck up behind them by this point, and clamped both of his hands on each of their shoulders. "Found you."

They both shrieked like banshees, spinning around to face him.

"GRAY, WHA, HOW?"

"You know this is where the Slytherin common room is, right? I couldn't sleep, so I was walking around. However, that's not what the big deal is here. What are _you _three doing?"

"Gray?" Happy spoke up, "why are you in your boxers?"

Gray looked down at himself, and, sure enough, his pajamas were no longer on his skinny frame. He cursed, looking behind them, but the clothes weren't there either. "Aww, come on."

"You're _weird_," Natsu spat, and Gray flicked him on the forehead.

"What are you doing?" he repeated, and they both totally clammed up, looking at him with wide eyes and clamped mouths.

"Hey, I'll tell the headmaster; you could be doing something _bad _for all I know."

Lucy and Natsu exchanged a glance.

"PFFFT!" Lucy waved her hand around. "We're not doing anything _bad_; what are you _talking about_!?"

Gray looked at her with slitted eyes, mouth open in confusion.

Natsu's fist shot forward so fast that Gray couldn't even think about moving, smacking him in the head and smashing into the stone.

...

"What the heck are we supposed to do with him!?"

"I don't know."

"You don't _know_!? You're the one who knocked him out!"

"Just leave him here."

"Natsu, he'll tell! Plus, he's our friend; we can't do that."

"That ice punk's our friend? Just look at him. He's all lame. Lying there...drool coming out of his mouth...in boxers. L-A-M-E."

"Stop it!"

"Fine. we'll bring him with us. But you have to help me carry him.

...

Gray awoke to a swaying motion. He jumped, screaming like a lunatic...but he couldn't move his arms, or his legs. He struggled, but to no avail. He was...tied up.

In a carriage.

Lucy was sitting next to him, managing to look worried and bored all at once.

"Lucy!? Where the heck are we? What are we doing? Where are we going!?"

Lucy jerked her head to look at him, eyes widening. She was wrapped in a blanket, and shivering.

Gray, as usual, wasn't cold, but he was certainly uncomfortable. Ropes digging into your skin wasn't the best way to get relaxed.

"Gray!" Lucy exclaimed, "You're awake!"

"Yes," he growled, teeth gritted and grinding. "And I'd like some answers."

Lucy sighed. "I'm sorry, Gray. But we couldn't have you telling on us."

Happy popped up out of nowhere, flying right into his face and scaring the bejezers out of him. "Serves you right!"

"Serves _me _right!? That doesn't even make any sense!"

Gray tried to spit at Happy so he would get out of his face, but it didn't really do him any good.

When the cat finally moved, he finally noticed Natsu, throwing up out the window of the carriage.

Gray tried to freeze the ropes off, but that didn't work-just succeeded in tightening the ropes even more. "Lucy! _Please_ get me out of these ropes."

Lucy shuffled over and untied them with quick fingers.

"So what are we doing?" he asked as she worked.

"We're going to a haunted place by the name of Galuna. It's a section deep within the Forbidden Forest," Lucy told him. "Natsu and I accepted an S Class mission, which I am now having doubts about..."

"An S Class Mission!?" Gray exclaimed. "Are you out of you ever loving mind? How stupid is that!? You're going to get yourselves _and _me killed!"

Lucy finished untying his hands, and Gray moved on to his feet.

"As soon as we got a certain distance into the forest, we kinda waved the sign around and Natsu yelled a bit, which was pretty stupid, but this carriage showed up, so..."

"And who's _driving _the carriage?"

"...a centaur."

"Oh my gosh."

Lucy held her hands out. "I know it sounds crazy, but please help us out. We're going to need all the help that we can get."

Gray rolled his eyes. "I can't really back out _now_, can I? Even if I started to run in the opposite direction the second I stepped out of this carriage, I would probably just get lost and bite it. Anyway, I can't leave you two idiots by yourselves, can I?" He gave her a little smile, and she smiled back, letting out a relieved breath.

"_Thank you_, Gray."

"Man, I'm going to have to help protect Mr. Loser over there while he's throwing up."

Lucy laughed.

They were both silent for a moment, and then Gray looked down at himself. "Oh no, who put these clothes on me?"

Lucy blinked. "You weren't _naked_."

"I _know_, but do you _think _I want the pink one touching me?"

"Well, then you'll be happy to know that I made him put your clothes on, because he was of your fellow gender. He, however, would've preferred leaving you without any clothes.

"EWW!" Gray wiped his hands all along his body frantically. "He put his little dirty paws all over me!"

"Natsu doesn't have dirty paws!" Happy exclaimed. He was now perched on the seat next to his human companion, staring angrily at Gray.

Lucy snorted. "Yeah, if anyone has dirty paws, it's _you_, Happy."

"Hey!"

Gray opened his mouth to make fun of the cat and the pink-haired slimeball even more, but, before he could do so, the carriage rolled to a stop.

"We're here," said a deep echoey voice from up ahead, and Gray felt a shiver go down his spine.


End file.
